The Dean of the Faculty invites interested students in all disciplines in all class years to present recent academic work at the Mt. David Summit.

At the Summit, concurrent sessions feature 15-minute talks, poetry or prose readings, poster presentations, and venues for visual and performing arts. Think of it as a track meet of the intellect: share the fruits of your hard work in a campus-wide celebration!

2017 Summit Schedule

The 2017 Summit takes place in the afternoon and evening of Friday, 31 March. Students are encouraged to attend poster sessions, talks, and other events as soon as their classes end that day. Presentations in the arts are the focus of the evening events.

IMPORTANT! You May Make Only One Presentation in the Afternoon Sessions!

Each student registering to present at the Summit may make ONLY ONE presentation during the afternoon sessions: i.e., only one poster or talk or panel discussion or screening, etc. With over 300 presenters, it is impossible to build a Summit schedule that can accommodate both students’ class schedules and the needs of students making more than one presentation. If you are required to make a presentation in more than one discipline, you need to discuss this with your advisors. You may, however, make one presentation in the afternoon session and also present or perform in the evening events or exhibit your work in the exhibitions on view.

The Summit is Popular and Space and Time are Limited!

Due to the large number of students who wish to present at the Mount David Summit and the limited space and time available for the event, we must limit the number of posters to 150 and the number of talks to 60. We accept registrations on a first-come, first-served basis. Registrations must include abstracts and must be approved by faculty members in order to count you in!

You may ask:

Q: What, exactly, do you mean by “recent academic work”?

A: Recent academic work done in a recent summer or the current academic year, including:

Individual research

Community-engaged research

Research while studying abroad

Course-based research or projects

Creative writing

Dance

Theater and performance art

Musical performance

Visual art

Film and media

Internships

Q: Who can be a presenter?

A: Students in all disciplines and all classes may present work pursued in a course, thesis, summer fellowship program, or off-campus study program, provided they have pre-registered and secured the endorsement of a faculty advisor.

Q: Can I present both a poster and a talk?

A: No. Each student who presents at the Summit may make one presentation the afternoon (one poster, one talk, or one reading, etc.). If you are required by professors to make two or more presentations at the Summit, you must make arrangements with them for an alternative activity so that you are making only one Summit presentation. This applies to group presentations as well as individual presentations. You may, however, make a presentation in the afternoon and also perform in an arts event scheduled for the evening.

Q: What’s in it for me, as a presenter?

A: You will have a chance to share your work with an enthusiastic audience. You can gain valuable experience in delivering a public presentation of your work to a supportive crowd. And you can be an important player in an event spotlighting the intellectual vitality of the Bates community!

Q: Who will the audience be?

Q: Well… okay! So sign me up!

A: To register, you must complete the online registration form. Make sure to provide an abstract of not more than 150 words describing your presentation. If you have any particular A/V or display needs, you MUST let us know so you won’t be caught in a media mishap. You need to tell us if you need a specialized venue, such as a dance floor or a gallery space. Finally, you MUST secure the online endorsement of a faculty member. Submit the registration form as early as possible; registration closes 15 February but will close sooner if the schedule fills. Please note that we limit the number of posters to 120 and the number of talks to 50; we close registration as soon as we have filled the schedule. This may occur before 15 February! Late registrations are not accepted!